Yep.

We all know the presidential debates this year have all been laughable; this is thanks to a breakdown in the fundamental structure of the 'debate.' Now, answering the question is 'negotiable' while rebuttal and actual discussion are out of the question. Even debate politeness is getting lost - McCain refused to shake hands at the end of the debate, I believe.

Moreover, on the opposite end of the spectrum you have the debaters who I would describe as cocksuckers: the guys who just sort of yell over each other about stupid, trivial things and STILL get nothing accomplished. These are the guys on Meet the Press who have shoutfests trying to get their own opinion over the other guy's and sell some books or something.

So debate: why has debate become such a lost art to television, politicians, and a lot of people actually?

Yelling and name calling wins elections. That's the sad truth.

well.. all I can really say is..

**** YOU DINO! YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT HOW TO WIN ELECTIONS! YOU ARE A TOOL AND FURTHERMORE AN ORPHAN RAPING TERRORIST! IF YOU RUN THE COUNTRY PROSTITUTES AND NAZIS WILL TAKE OVER!


... my name is Phoenix and I approve this message.

I'm voting for you

Because in the age of instant messaging, catchy slogans, and impending doom, no one wants to sit down and watch two guys talk about what they know won't change anyone's opinion really.

People vote for people who they think can fix all of their problems.

Quote from Dinomut

Yelling and name calling wins elections. That's the sad truth.

This .

Its because we, the citizens, are too stupid to not allow these idiots to get this close to becoming president. They don't need to have taken debate in high school, they just need to have finished middle school.

I say we kill every candidate who acts impolitely in a debate from now until the end of time.

I don't think being polite is that important in debate, i mean apart from shaking hands and all that guff.

I mean swearing and shouting isn't really debating but if its kept at a certain level of humility i don't see why going for the throat is a problem, especially with high stakes.


Regarding stupid and irrelevant questions / topics, if its a tangent i guess it can be excused, but if its just for the sake of selling shit I'm guessing the one responsible is not there for the debate, but just for shameless self promotion.

I personally think the culture of debating should be taught at school. The good ol' Greeks believed in debating, where winning isn't the goal, but the final knowledge. Arguments are just being used to "clean" their path to knowledge.

I always wondered what the point was in a debate.

It's like a football game, but no one wins. What's the point of it? To hopefully get someone on the other side to agree with you? To show off that the guy you support may not be who you want to support because he just proved that he cant handle immediate things? Just to show off? I think it's just something for comedy shows to sample and make jokes out of because it's, like you said, laughable.

Quote from MiniMan

I always wondered what the point was in a debate.

It's like a football game, but no one wins. What's the point of it? To hopefully get someone on the other side to agree with you? To show off that the guy you support may not be who you want to support because he just proved that he cant handle immediate things? Just to show off? I think it's just something for comedy shows to sample and make jokes out of because it's, like you said, laughable.

I don't entirely agree with that statement, but frankly, I can't argue with you because your sig is bonerific.

The point of debate is to further the knowledge of both parties involved, or to serve as a chalenging form of entertainment.

Quote from Ash

The point of debate is to further the knowledge of both parties involved, or to serve as a chalenging form of entertainment.

I like what you have to say, but your sig doesn't turn me on so I don't give a shit.

=)

I saw the debate, and they were just being a bunch of insulting cock suckers.
Non the less I still like Oboma more, that is just an opinion though.
I am certain many countries laughed at that debate multiple times.

Politics are pall.

Lol dont vote. be an anarchist. google this shit